It depends on the episode. For instance, in The Big Goodbye, they are noticed:
Aha, that’s right. I had forgotten that scene. But there definitely were other cases where they were not noticed?
There isn’t even the smallest chance in hell that the data in the phone’s flash memory would still be there after 400 years. Or even 40 years. Think ten years.
Yes. They were nothing if not inconsistent.
They could really just have holo-clothes materialize over them as they enter the simulation, simular to how Isaac’s human body materialized over him. It would be a cool visual effect and make sense story wise.
except that at teh beginning, Gordon only intended to observe -
Why was the time capsule on a ship away from earth, after having been found on earth, needing to be returned to earth?
Sure, but part of observing is laying low and not sticking out too much. I feel like holographic clothes replacement should either be automatic, or someone says “computer, contemporary clothes” to activate it. Not a big deal though.
Also, they weren’t taking it back to Earth. In the beginning Tuvok says “the delta someothersolarsystem museum is waiting for it” and Mercer says “we’ll get it there safely”
fair enough (on both counts)
If it was a simulation, it would have been computer-generated: you just tell the computer to make the simulacra ignore his attire or accept it as normal. Not that difficult. And a sophisticated simulation generator (as one would expect it to be) could automatically adapt the simulation based on the human’s requirements (as it seems like it did, by involving Laura in a relationship with Gordon).
Speaking of the simulator, I’m fine with us using it a lot - because once humanity discovers something like a holodeck, it’s going to instantly become a HUGE part of our lives - but it’s really nice that so far no episodes have been driven by the artificial conflict of a holodeck malfunction or computer misinterpretation. Those always felt kinda like contrived drama on TNG.
I feel like there should probably be a running joke about the simulator where we basically acknowledge that people are using their simulator time every week to bang the shit out of holo-everything. Just like non-stop crazy ass orgies going on in the holodeck 24/7. Someone takes a crack at hitting on some hot alien chick, gets rebuffed, then mentions that they’re going to go use their simulator time. Or someone who pissed off the captain should be given simulator mop duty for a week in place of latrine duty as a punishment.
Surely you have read somethingawful
because, ick,
Agreed, and if anything shows like Trek have poisoned the well a little bit with this technology, using them just for costume drama stories.
So when you talk about hyper-realistic VR, most people assume it would be used for roleplaying some fantasy for a short session then returning to doing everything else in the real world (and OK, sex, which I agree would be a killer app).
But I think this really underplays the potential of such a technology. Why live in a shitty crew compartment when you can live in a palace? Why work in front of a console when you may be more efficient in some kind of simulated environment? Why not have more public VRs, and on and on.
Granted, how we will know when we’re in the legit real world will be a big problem, but I don’t see that stopping us using the tech in the first place.
Also agree.
I even recall an episode (I think on Voyager) where the holodeck safeties had malfunctioned and several senior crew were in mortal danger, but get this: there was no contrived reason why they couldn’t just switch off the holodeck. Janeway just said something to the effect of “It’s a really good story, we should let it play out” :smack:
Of course in the real world it’s entirely possible that once we have practical holodecks, we’d never come out, but that would of course force the show to be dominated by those stories, I think.
There’s a reasonable explanation along the lines of… it’s very energy-expensive, but people recognize the need for leisure time for the ship, so they’ve got a simulator or two and every crewman gets one hour per week in one, maybe two or three for officers, or something along those lines. You could justify rationing so that the holodeck wouldn’t take over everyone’s lives.
Speaking of officers, have we been show an officer/enlisted dynamic on the show? Star Trek had Chief O’Brien as a token enlisted character, I’m not sure if all the characters we know are officers. Doesn’t really matter, I suppose, just curious if that’s been established or not. We’ve seen security red shirts and other unnamed characters, but I’m not sure if the officer/enlisted method of command structure survives into the Orville’s time.
Well, now you’ve got me intrigued! Anyone know what episode this was?
Agreed, and to be clear, I wasn’t suggesting that anyone attempt to write stories with that kind of VR tech.
Just saying the specific kind of holodeck writers have had to invent to still be able to tell compelling stories, is the kind that most people now have in mind as the sum total of what this technology could be used for.
Spirit Folk.
And I found a transcript of the dialogue in question. One of the dumbest things ever said on Trek (and I’m saying that as a fan of Voyager)
SEVEN: We should enter the holodeck with a security team and take them by force.
TUVOK: Need I remind you the holo-characters have weapons as well. We’d be risking armed conflict.
TORRES: Well, then let’s just pull the plug. Cut power to the hologrid.
NEELIX: That would purge the programme from our database.
TORRES: Exactly.
NEELIX: But we’d lose Fair Haven and all its people.
SEVEN: They’re not people. They’re holograms.
JANEWAY: And they weren’t programmed to be violent. I don’t believe they’d harm anyone.
TORRES: You can’t be certain.
JANEWAY: Well, I am certain, and I’d like to find a less drastic solution.
TORRES: With all due respect, Captain. Michael can be reprogrammed. Tom and Harry can’t.
JANEWAY: One problem at a time, B’Elanna. The people of Fair Haven may not be real, but our feelings toward them are. I won’t destroy these relationships if we can find another way. Now, if we could attach transport enhancers onto Tom and Harry, would that be enough to cut through the interference?
Oh Voyager. That cracks me up, actually. Everyone is right there talking sense into her, and she’s like “nah, I’d rather get our people shot than stop visiting my favorite fictional place, screw your sanity” and they just roll with it.
Do trekkies who deeply immerse themselves in the importance of trek feel dirty when watching Voyager?
Bortus’s porn virus.
Another reason it couldn’t be “her” phone; her phone would have had her phone number. When Malloy sends her the text with the message, “Here’s my number,” I was almost expecting a response of, “Wait - that’s my number!”.
And, like everyone else in the movies and TV, she just happened to have one of the 100 phone numbers in her area code that is 55501 something something. Yes, I am aware that is intentional - the modern day version of “555 numbers” now that a number of companies use 555 numbers for something besides 555-1212.
They missed a golden opportunity there - it should have been 867-5309